BBC Introducing - 26/07/2012

Tonight we had producer Mungo in live, we had pre-recorded session from The strange and we had Matt Evans co - cordinator of the Cloudspotting Festival on the phone as well as new band to the uploader - Draks Drum.

Mungo started out producing tracks in his bedroom in Blackburn, in fact he recorded some of his newly released album "Atomic Vomit" there - he has since moved out of his room and has a purpose built studio, where he produced the other half of his album.

From Blackburn, Mungo has been producing for 2 years, and has played local venues, all this and he has just turned 16 !! What did he get for his birthday.... a PA System of course!!

"Atomic Vomit" is Mungos first album and features collabarations with other producers, including one from America and one from Canada, i asked Mungo how did he manage to collabarate with artists from across the water and he said "It was difficult at first, there where a few problems, but we used TeamViewer to interact and tha made it easier".

Looking to gig more over the next few months, Mungo has just one request, dont ask him for Justin Beiber ..... memories of one bad gig come flooding back.

You can find more info and current tracks at http://www.officialmungo.com./
Listen to the show again here.

This Weeks Playlist:

High Contrast - In A Gadda Da Vida
DJ Marshall - It’s Over (Jess Harwood remix)
MXE - The Devils Hands (Original Mix)
Mungo - Live Mix: Blade BansheeMungo - Blitz
Obelize - Maledicent
Daft Punk - Robot Rock
Compa - Coast
The Jonny Squizzerscrow Experiment - God is on the case
8. Oski Bremwich - wasting away
9. Oski Bremwich - fair to say
10. Oski Bremwich - dirt track
Draks Drum - Get Yourself To California
The Strange - Baby Butcher
The Strange - Bleed
The Strange - Little Girl Games
The Strange - Fun
The Strange - Hands
The Strange - Flies
Baxter Rhodes- Love’s Old Sweet Song
The Strange - Object Insect
The Cold One Hundred - Hedonist

BBC Introducing 21/06/2012

On tonight's BBC Introducing Lancashire show, we had Iktsuarpok in live.

Iktsuarpok come from that place that's near the sea called Southport. And... if you would like to know how to pronounce Iktsuarpok, its Ik - suar- pok, and it has a specific meaning, its the Eskimo word for the feeling you get when waiting for someone to turn up at your house.

Now that's your grammar lesson over with - on to the band.

They have been together for just over 6 months, and are currently working on their first single. The single as yet untitled will be out sometime in September of this year.

The band, which is Tom and Denis, uses a sequencer which is Abelton software on Mac triggered by a Novation launchpad, Denis also plays a rather lovely Gibson ES135. ( And yes, i did get a little help with that sentence - ahem.)

Iktsuarpok.

The Guitar.

Tom and Denis have been playing a lot of gigs around Liverpool recently, so i asked them how the music scene was in that part of the land "Its a great scene, with alot of venues putting on gigs, but if you are not in with the promoters then it can be hard to get a gig, it can be clicky".

The band are looking to gig further afield, having played Manchester and narrowly missing out on a gig in Preston, "We want to play more varied gigs, and in different towns, so please get in touch if your a promoter". I am sure they will guys, I'm sure they will.

For the bands Facebook page click here.

This weeks playlist:

Obelize - Maledicent

Big B - Me & You

We Painted Monsters - Hypnotized

Itksuarpok - Never Let Go Of It

Silverclub - Like Cat’s Eyes

Itksuarpok - Bombs

Chalk - Wither

Itksuarpok - Screens Of Paris

Itksuarpok - Holding Up

Steven Hudson - Everything electric

Itksuarpok - Tell Me Why

Boy del Mundo - Mountains

Sootytern - AbsO

TCTS – Like This (Huw’s Tip)

The Superkings - Save Me

Bondax - Wet Summer

Bondax - All I Want

Bondax - You're So

Bondax - All Inside

Karma Kid - It's Always


 Listen again here.

BBC Introducing 31/05/2012

This week we had Daystar playing live.

Daystar hail from the Manchester area, and have been very busy of late. They have recently supported Feeder, The Rifles and The Twang. Simon, Ryan, Ste, Budgie and Tom also had a mention in today's (31/05/2012) edition of The Sun.

They are shooting off down South tomorrow, to headline at the club NME. Earlier this year the band released their self titled 1st album, and have already begun writing for their new one, no date for release as of yet though!!

It's also worth mentioning that drummer Tom has broken his leg in a painful football incident,he managed to play a few of the live tracks, the band also had Paul - drummer for the band Hurts playing a few, to give Tom a rest. Get better soon Tom.

Paul.

The broken legged Tom.

For Daystar's Facebook page click here.

Playlist for the week:

High Contrast - In a Gadda Da Vida
B3ATROOT - Sun Sparks (Shine On Me)
Bondax - Only You Know (Ft Dee)
DayStar - It’s Time
The Feud - It Ain’t Right
DayStar - Sleeper
The Smiths - What Difference Does It Make?
DayStar - Only Man That Gets You
The Doors - Break On Through
DayStar - Slipstream
DayStar - Don’t Need This
Flight Of Arrows - Silver Sands
Compa - Sentence
#Tags – Sick Of Heels
The Chevin - Champion
Better Left Alone - Going For The Oscar
Bondax - Just Us
Boy Behind The Curtain - Nightrider
Stephen Hudson - Everything Electric
Rae Morris - For You
New York Tourists - Kick In The Teeth
The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
The Empire State - That Girl
David Shurr - Hope

Listen again here.

BBC Introducing 24/05/2012

WOW - Did we have a show for you tonight !! Two live bands played for us, Fiona Clayton and The Chevin. We also had a chat with Gideon Conn, favourite of Scroobius Pip and we chatted to dubstep producer and DJ, Compa.

The first live session we had, was from Fiona Clayton and band. Fiona and band who hail from Cumbria, have just released an E.P called "Making My way", the E.P is available from their facebook page.
They are currently on tour all over the country and are due to play the Academy in Newcastle on the 14th July. Fiona, played the BBC's Big weekend last year, which was held in cumbria, since then there has been a slight change in line up and they have recently become unsigned...yes... unsigned, i asked Fiona if this was a good thing and she said "Yes,we have alot more flexibility, we are looking to get an agent on board and organise another tour. We'd love to be signed, but to the right people - right now we are having a great time gigging and touring".
Oh and THE BAND are Jan and John.

Second up was The Chevin, this four piece come from leeds and their new single "Drive" is out on the 28th of May. The band, Coyle, John Matt and Mal have been very busy recording their new Album "Borderlands". They recorded in Texas as, the band claim, "its cheeper to spend four weeks recording in texas then to record in Leeds".Flying over to Texas was worth while though, as they have managed to get a slot on David Lettermans show, which is due to air on the 29th August this year.

Although The Chevin have been busy recording, they still managed to get a tour in, supporting White Lies and Franz ferdinand and will be playing at T in the park and the Bingley festival in September.

You can breathe here.


Then we had Gideon Conn live on the phone, he told us all about recording his new album "Take it All" which is due for release on the 4th June. And we had a listen to his new single "Fall Under Tokyo" taken from the album, which will be released on the 28th May. We also learnt that Gideon has a great fondness for food.

We also spoke to Compa, who told us what he has been upto over the last few months - he has been traveling all over europe DJing, and he has his own show on the Dubstep radio station subFM, he is on every Wednesday 2-4.

Playlist for the night:

High Contrast - In A Gadda Da Vida
Mungo Live Mix
Fiona Clayton live - Run To You
Sarah Dixon - Secret Lover
Fiona Clayton Live - Pretty Gonna Fall Down
Florence and the Machine - Shake it out
Fiona Clayton Live - Electric
Rae Morris - hard to forget
Boy Del Mundo versus you cheeky star - Mountaineering remix
In flight recorder - Dutch Courage
The Chevin - Drive (not live)
Boy behind the curtain - Nightrider
Huw Stephens tip of the week - Animal noise - Baddow
The Feud - It aint right
Graham Coxon - What’ll take
The Chevin Live - Blue Eyes
Goof - The Race
The Chevin Live - I am on fire
The Chevin - Drive ( Used as a bed)
Rae morris - For you
Gideon Conn - Fall under Tokyo
Stephen Hudson - Everything electric
Compa - Sentence

You can listen again to the show here.

BBC Introducing 17/05/2012

On this weeks show we had, Cat Like Thief playing live in the studio and Suzie Metcalf - founder of Ravenstonedale Festival live on the phone. We also chatted to Better Left Alone about their new E.P, and we had a pre-recorded interview with Stephen from The Feud who told us that the band have been chosen to be played on all the Radio 1 shows for a week.

Cat Like Thief hail from Cumbria, they have been around for about two years and currently have an E.P available called "The Only Way".

The lads, Jordan, Phil and Paul told me of the difficulties of breaking out of your home county. "We are working hard to break through into neighbouring counties, we have played everywhere in Cumbria , but never outside!" says Jordan.
The lads tell me they are really keen on gigging all over the country, and would like venues and promoters to get in touch.

One thing they do find that helps, as Paul and Phil say, is the BBC Introducing shows "Its a great platform for bands, its a great experience". Aww, Thanks guys.

Suzie Metcalf founded The Ravenstonedale Festival four years ago, since then the festival has grown from strength to strength. This year the Festival based in Kirkby Lonsdale (Thats Cumbria), has doubled its capacity and with it gained extra stages and entertainments.

New for this year is a bigger, better main stage, a dance tent and a whole new stage. Suzie tells me there is also African drumming work shops, Graffiti artists and even a Bouncy castle and Bungee jump - i was sold on "Bouncy Castle".

The three day Festival, starting on the 15th June, will feature loads of local bands from around the North West and will also cater for those into their dance and drum n bass.
Tickets to the festival are on sale now here Ravenstonedale Festival.

Better Left Alone.
The Feud.

Playlist for this weeks show was:

High Contrast - In A Gadda Da Vida
BigB - MiniMix
Cat Like Thief - Heard The Cattle
Exit State - Circles
Cat Like Thief - Follow You
The Strokes - Reptilian
Cat Like Thief - Everything We Spoke Of
Taser Puppets - Dim
The Strange - No Fun
Haight Ashbury - She’s So Groovy 86
Boney Black - Magic Touch
Donna Summer - I Feel Love
Rameses B - I Need You
Cat Like Thief - The Only Way
The Art Club - If You Still Loved Me You Wouldn’t Make Me Cry
Flight Of Arrows - Silver Sands
The Feud - It Ain’t Right
Better Left Alone - Going For The Oscar
David Shurr - Hope
Jess Harwood - Finally Spoken

Listen again here.

To Blog or not to Blog…. (that’s the question)

And the answer? Well that’s quite simple… its yes.

Blogging is an important part of our lives, whether we actively seek out blogs ourselves or not. Blogs can provide us with information we may otherwise have no access to. Blogs provide content for news articles, reputable blogs can be a source of research, they also provide an interesting look into social history.

But what isn’t discussed is the importance of blogging from a music scene point of view, well that was until this week, when BBC Introducing Lancashire partnered up with Creative Lancashire and hosted a soundBytes industry session.

The discussion focused on the importance of blogging both from a music scene perspective and also from an industry view point. Amongst those that attended where local music bloggers and industry delegates, including Manchester blogger Joe Sparrow writer of the blog A new Band a Day and Liam Walsh – album plugger to radio stations.

The discussions, which will be broadcast in two weeks on BBC Introducing Lancashire, made a good argument for why bands in particular need to get into blogging. I for one agree with this, as was stated in the session, bands need to create their own publicity, and a blog is a very easy way to do this.

Bands need to connect and engage their listeners. And whilst it is true that Facebook and Twitter are a great platform for this, Blogs can offer a better reading format and, once set up and the link passed to Facebook friends, can be a more concentrated area in which to link tunes to Soundcloud or YouTube channels. Let’s face it, can any one of us say we catch every status update or tweet from our contact lists…. No.

So a band set up a blog, and their fans read it, is that it?. Well no its not. As was mentioned by some of the industry delegates, the music industry and the press look to blogs to get more information about a band or singer songwriter. At BBC Introducing, when researching a band we will look to blogs and Facebook etc. to see what they have been doing, to see what material they have out there, we are not the only ones.

Gone are the days when bands looked to the press to create a buzz about them, sorry bands but that is now up to you.. you need to create the buzz i.e.: make yourselves accessible, put your tracks and gigs out there for people within the industry to see, and most importantly give interviews and tracks to reviewers and local bloggers. This brings me to my next point.
A local music scene is not just created by bands. It is in fact created by bands, venues, promoters and journalists.. especially local bloggers all working together. Each of these areas depends on the other to make the whole scene work.

In a recent interview (which will be blogged about soon) I spoke to film maker Jon Spira about his new documentary “anyone can play guitar” the film focuses on the Oxford music scene and features big names such as Radiohead and Supergrass, but the aim of the film is to show that these bands did not get to the heights they did on their own. Without the local press and the local promoters, these bands would not have had the platform to even start.

I asked him how the Oxford music scene survives and his answer was this “Oxford works, because it’s a community and if you look at how it all started, it’s about participation. You need to participate before you can take anything out of it…. Everyone goes to each other’s gigs, everyone just supports it as a music community”.

This is a true statement for any town or city. If you want your music scene to be vibrant, then help it along, in which ever area you can. This is not only aimed at music, the same would apply to photographers or artists, create the scene, create the buzz.

If you are interested in hearing the session that went on this week, it is due to be played out in a few weeks on BBC Introducing on BBC Radio Lancashire – I will status update on Facebook… and of course on here.

And in the meantime here’s a few blogs for you to check out:
www.anewbandaday.com
www.deadlyrhythm.com
www.angelofmetal.com

Have you heard the one about ....... an interview with comedian Lewis Costello.

When you talk to Lewis Costello about his comedic career, he gives the impression that he’s not quite sure that he has one. And when you ask him about how he got a supporting slot for Ed Byrne's tour in 2008, he doesn’t really know how that happened, if you ask him about being a contributing writer for series 2 and 3 on Russell Howard’s good news show, he simply says “I got an email”.

Lewis is 18, he’s from Blackburn. He started performing comedy 3 years ago, and in those 3 years he has managed to perform in places such as London’s Comedy Store and the Edinburgh fringe festival. He has also performed in New York – were he had the uncomfortable experience of looking Jesus straight in the eye (see below).
He was recently nominated for Latitudes “New Act of the Year” Award and supported Doug Stanhope on his 20th Anniversary comedy shows in London. Oh and he also performed at Download Festival.

Lewis will tell you these things, in a rather begrudging way. But when you get beneath the media publicity bit, you will find an 18 year old lad, who isn’t quite sure how he has managed to get where he is, (if in fact he is anywhere, as he sees it) but is just enjoying the ride, and when you have the opportunity to sit and have a cigarette with him, and he tells you the story of his nan, Max Clifford and some singer from X Factor….. you see, even if he doesn’t, just why he is getting somewhere…and fast.

Interview:

SB: When did you start performing (what was your first gig, and how did it go)

LC: It was November 2008, in Blackburn, with Brendon Burns. And it went pretty well! Too well, really. My next gig was a few weeks later at a theatre in Burnley, and I was shit. In my head, I went from planning a world tour to planning on retaking exams.



SB: Explain how you have managed to get to where you are at, at the moment (for example the route you took, how did you get noticed etc.)

LC: I'm nowhere special yet! I have taken a weird route though. It's been quite a DIY approach. A lot of friends help out. I was 'managed' for a while by my friend Zac, and my publicity person was my friend George. I had a European tour this Summer just gone, which sounds impressive, but really it was just me visiting a few countries with some friends and tagging on shows.

Doing stand-up is a fucking fantastic way of meeting people. And when you meet people from different places, you then have a floor to sleep on, wherever they live. And with accommodation out of the way, you can do a show there without it costing too much. Actually, for my show in London this year, I was staying with a guy who I helped get started in stand-up, who lived about ten minutes away from me before moving to London. And while I was there, I was catching up with a Canadian stand-up comic called Sophie, who I met while supporting Doug Stanhope in London the year before.

I've always booked my own shows, and I'm just lucky that my friends are legends, because they always help out. The route I've taken, really, is trying to carve out some sort of following by doing shows wherever I can, with the help of whoever is willing.



SB: How did get the opportunity to work on Russell Howards shows.

LC: I was sent an email asking me to be an additional writer on the show. Boring story, but you asked.



SB: How was touring with Ed Byrne - considering you were quite young at the time.

LC: Ridiculous. I'd always thought he was an amazing comic. It was a chance I definitely didn't deserve, but I got it, and every show I did with him went really well. And I got the chance to see his set which was great, and he gave me some advice on my act that I still remember, it's always in my head when I'm on stage. That was a huge chance, and I loved every second. Went to see his new show in Blackburn not so long ago, and it was amazing. Non-stop perfect observational comedy.



SB: You have gigged in New York how was that.

LC: I'm assured it went very well, I was asked back, but I remember it being weird. I was really queasy, and couldn't walk to the stage in a straight line. The host of the show that night, before I went up, she talked to a guy on the front row who looked like Jesus. And all I can remember is feeling tired and ill, stood on a stage with a scorching light in front of me... And I was trying to remember some jokes, whilst looking Jesus Christ dead in the eye. I don't suppose that’s a common tale from English comedians performing in America. But my experience of performing in New York was super intense. I'm going back next year. Hopefully, there won't be as many religious icons in the audience.



SB: What did being nominated for the Latitude new act of the year award do for you ( and what year was that)

LC: It was 2010. Which I fucking resent, because it was being headlined by Florence and the Machine, Vampire Weekend and I think Empire of the Sun. I don't even know. But my biggest regret in stand-up is that I didn't start a year earlier. If I was asked to perform at Latitude in 2009, I would've seen Thom Yorke, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Tricky. I love these guys. Listen to them at least once a day. Thom Yorke is wailing as I write this, actually. And THAT'S why I hate Vampire Weekend. Fuck Vampire Weekend. What was the question?



SB: You completed your first tour last year, will there be one this year and what did you learn from that.

LC: There has been a tour this year, it's just been a bit more European. Last years was good! Intense, but good. It included three dates opening for Doug Stanhope at the Leicester Square Theatre and Doug is, for my money, the best stand-up comedian in the world. They were the best gigs of the year. If I learned anything, it was in Edinburgh. Don't be honest about the quality of your show when advertising it to punters. Tell them it's very, very good. Or else they won't buy a ticket.

The last date of the tour is a hometown gig at the Thwaites Empire Theatre, November 22nd, as part of the Blackburn Comedy Festival. It's the biggest solo show I've ever done, and we're doing all we can to make it a big show. Dave Bishop, one of my favourite comedians in the country, is supporting, and we have a screen on stage. There will be a celebrity cameo or two, and it's a fiver to get in. Might as well.



SB: How was download?

LC: AMAZING. Amazing weekend. Euphoric. I'm not even gonna go into detail, because I wouldn't stop. The set went down really well, and I met some of my best friends there. I'm definitely there next year. Actually, we are building the 2012 tour around Download. A few friends and I are taking a van across the country and playing whatever seedy little places will have me. This year at Download, that was the gig of the year. Once a year, it seems, I find a perfect audience. Stanhope's audience were great, and Download's were great. On the same bill was Jason Rouse, an amazing comic who I'd wanted to see for some time. He killed. And as for music, I was pretty much a second stage regular. Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie were the highlights. I've got a dollar bill with Alice Cooper's face on, framed, which he pierced with a sword before throwing into the crowd. Insane.



SB: Your act is not for the faint hearted, would you consider taming it if the perfect opportunity arose for you.

LC: No, but that's not to say I don't tame it. Sometimes, I'll tame it for fun. I never do well though. I actually took part in the Blackburn Christmas lights switch-on last year, for some fun. Totally clean set. It was horrible, the audience hated it as much as me. Had a gig at MediaCity in BBC actually last weekend, and on paper, it seemed like I might need to tone it down. But I didn't, and it was great. Moral of the story, it's in everyone’s best interests to let me carry on effing and jeffing.


Website - www.lewiscostello.com

BBC Introducing - Mark Mace Smith

Live Track and after show interview with poet Mark Mace Smith.On BBC Introducing with Sean McGinty on BBC radio Lancashire.




BBC Presenter: Sean McGinty
Poet: Mark Mace Smith
After show interviewer and producer and editor of this package: Shelley Booth
Original Broadcast: BBC Introducing with Sean McGinty on BBC radio Lancashire -5/11/09.

No Mans Land -BBC Introducing with Sean McGinty

Live track and after show interview with the band No Mans Land.
BBC Presenter : Sean McGinty
Band : No Mans Land
After show interviewer and producer and editor of this package : Shelley Booth
Original Broadcast: BBC Introducing on BBC Radio Lancashire 5/11/09

www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire

www.myspace.com/nomanslandpreston

Electric Free Time Machine

An interview with Lancaster band, Electric Free Time Machine.
Interview was broadcast on the 8th of october on BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Introducing with Sean Mcginty.
BBC Presenter : Sean Mcginty.


www.myspace.com/eftm

China White E.P Review

China White
The Kitchen Sessions E.P


China White are unashamedly from the Northwest. Their music reflects this in every way, they experiment, they mix genres and they have that very Northern ability to turn a, sometimes awkward subject, into a track you will want to keep playing.

Whilst their sound is reflective of their roots, they have managed to produce an E.P that once put in to the CD player, will drag you from what ever place you are in, to a universal place of hedonism, drugs, loss and reflection.

Managing, successfully, to cross the British/American rap divide by bringing on board Scorpio of Grand Master Flash fame for the track “AGGRESSION”, was a feat in itself. And having previously worked with Rowetta on the track OUR DYLON, proves that these guys have what it takes to impress the respected of the industry.

But where China White really impress, is on tracks like “UP AND DOWN”, yes it’s a love song, but a China White love song is not a regular love song, the lyrics are of cause reflective, the beats clean, whilst having a back drop of grit provided by the vocals.

“PERUVIAN TREES” and “GRAM CENTRAL STATION” show what China White can do with tough subjects like drugs. They do not apologise for it, they do not condone, they just give you something to think about, whilst enjoying their ability to pump an air of funk and soul into the track, whilst subtly reminding you of northern roots with the line “mental, mental, chicken oriental”.

The Kitchen Sessions E.P, is one of those rare gems that will have you moving on one track and intently listening on another, with a slice of funk, that transports you back to the past added for good measure.

China White have come along way on their own, and this E.P can only take them further, but regardless of where it takes them, you feel that China White will always be China White from Warrington, as one of them said at a gig “ We wear high street”.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fchinawhitemusic&h=97774c84612b494c0e5538e99d7dccc6


Shelley Booth